BIRDS FREQUENTING ELDER PARK, GOVAN. 209 



Notes on the Birds frequenting* Elder Park, Govan. 



By William Bennie. 



[Read 28th April, 1908.] 



In bringing before the Society some notes on the birds 

 frequenting the Elder Park, Govan, from March, 1906, to 

 March, 1908, I do not profess either to give a complete list, 

 or to indicate the actual dates of appearance or disappearance 

 of the various species, as the time at my disposal for observa- 

 tion lias been very short. 



Elder Park, which is situated on the Lands of Fairfield, at 

 the west end of the burgh of Govan, was the gift of Mrs. John 

 Elder, and was opened on 25th June, 1885. It has an area 

 of 37 acres. The frontage to the Renfrew Road is 1,550 feet, 

 and the width from north to south is 800 feet on the east side, 

 and about 1,200 feet on the west. 



The trees are quite similar in character to those usually met 

 with in such places. Most of the higher trees are situated on 

 the boundary, and are principally Elms, Poplars, and Willows, 

 with an occasional Beech. The avenues are formed of Willows 

 and some Poplars. The shrubs consist mainly of Elder, 

 Privet, Lilac, Laurel, and Rhododendron. Scattered through- 

 out the park are Hawthorn, Beam, Laburnum, Holly, and 

 some fruit-trees. These last have not borne fruit during the 

 period included in my observations, though they have 

 blossomed freely. 



The south-west corner of the park is pleasantly situated and 

 quiet, with very little traffic passing through it. This is the 

 place where most of the rarer visitors are to be seen, and to 

 it the greater part of my time was devoted. 



As regards the supply of food for birds, the winter of 1906 

 presented a striking contrast when compared with that of 

 1907. In 1906 the Beam-trees and Hawthorns were covered 

 with their red berries, and the Hollies gave a good display. 

 In 1907, however, there was no blossom on the Beam-trees, 

 and consequently no berries; and although there was a fair 

 display of Hawthorn-bloom in the spring, haws were very 

 scarce, while the Hollies were practically without berries. 



